Signaling apparatus



J. W. KENNEDY.

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED .IULYIS, 192].

1,42 1 ,25 1 Patented June 27, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. w. KENNEDY.

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULYIS, 192].

1,421,251. Patented June 27,1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET Z4 1". w. KENNEDY.

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULYI3, 1921.

1,421,25 1 Y Patented June 27, 1922.

ssHEE'Ts-SHEET 3.

JAMES W. KENNEDY, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOB OLE ONE-FOURTH T0 GEORGE s HAGGAR'I AND ONE-FOURTH TO HARRY C. CONRAD, BOTH OF CANTON, OHIO.

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JAMES WV. KENNEDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signaling Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to signaling apparatus, and more particularly to such apparatus as is applied to moving vehicles.

It frequently happens that accidents occur at points where a railroad track crosses a transverse track or road, owing to the lack of adequate signaling devices, and it is the object of my invention to provide apparatus, at such crossings, which will be automatically operable by the moving car itself, and will act to warn approaching vehicles or pedestrians of danger.

One of the objects of my invention is to make it possible to set a warning signal, and retain it in set posit-ion for a predetermined period of time, so that if the warning is not heeded and an accident occurs, it will not be possible to change the position of the signals, pending an investigation, but on the contrary, such signals will remain set and act as silent witnesses, accurately and conclusively pointing out the cause of the accident.

Another object of my invention is to provide a signaling apparatus, which will be acutated and operated by mechanical instead of electrical means, thereby increasing the efficiency of the device. J

WVith these and other objects in view, which will appear as the specification proceeds, my invention consists in certain novel and useful features hereinafter described in detail in connection with the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved signaling apparatus, including its actuating means, mounted on a moving vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a side view of a semaphore, provided with a signaling device.

Fig. 3 is a side view of an arm, adapted to be engaged by the moving vehicle.

Figs. 4, 4 and 5 are views of the locking mechanism.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Ju 27 1922.

Application filed July 13, 1921.

Serial No. 484,481.

Fig, 6 is a detail View of a portion of the swinging arm.

Fig. 7 is a view of one of the operating wheels and connections.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of one of the wheel supports.

Fig. 9 is a view of the lighting switch.

In the drawings, 1 represents an upright sup-port or post, to which there is secured by bolts 2, a plate 3, spaced from the upright, as shown in Fig. 3.

Secured to the plate 3 by floor flanges, is an outwardly extending tube or pipe 4, in which is rotatably mounted a rod 5 reduced at its inner end and journaled in the plate 3. In the space between the plate 3 and the support 1, and rigidly mounted on the inner end of the rotatable rod 5, is a wheel or disk 6.

The rod 5 is preferably bent at its outer extremity and has attached to it by means of a fiat spring 8, a depending member 9, provided at its lower end with a roller 10, for a purpose hereafter described. A support 11 is attached to the upright 1 and to the outer end of the rod 5 or the pipe 4,. to steady the latter.

12 is an upright or post similar to the upright 1 and provided with attachments similar in all respects to those already described. 13 and 14 are wires, the opposite ends of which are secured respectively to the upper and lower portions of the wheels or disks 6 and 6' and in such a manner that when either of the wheels 6 or 6 is turned, it will cause the other to turn.

Between the uprights land 12 and permanently placed, isa semaphore 15, on which there is preferably placed a dummy figure, such as 16. Slidably mounted in suitable bearings 17, secured to the semaphore, is a rack bar 18 provided with toothed portions 19 and 20. Mounted on the semaphore near its upper extremity, is a toothed wheel or disk 21, adapted to engage the toothed por tion 19 of the rod 18, and also rotatably mounted on the semaphore near its lower end, is a hub or collar 22, provided with two indicating arms 23 and 24. The hub or collar 22 is also provided with teeth adapted 'to be engaged by the rack portion 20 of the sliding rod 18.

Thewires 13 and 14 are secured to the wheel or disk 21, at its top and lower portions' respectively, as shown in Fig. 1.

25 represents a moving vehicle, such as a trolley car, engine or the like, adapted to run upon rail road tracks. On the super-structure of this vehicle, preferably onits roof, and to one side thereof, I provide a part 26, having an inclined upper surface 27, as

shown, adapted to engage the roller 10 on 31 of the collar 32, keyed to the shaft on which the wheel is loosely mounted, to release the same, the mechanism forming a clutch. I

33 and 34, are electric light bulbs, mounted upon the indicating arm23 and suitably wired to be switched into circuit when said arm is in a position of warning, as shown. In order to insure one of said bulbs being always lighted, I provide a solenoid 35, the contact points being normally out of engagement, until the bulb 34L isburnt out, or otherwise becomes inoperative, when the short circuit will cause the points to contact and light the bulb 33, thus always insuring a light.

From the foregoing, it is believed the operation of my improved signaling apparatus will be readily understood. Assuming the apparatusto be set as shown andjdescribed, a vehicle approaching from the right will bring the inclined surface 27 of the part 26, into contact with the roller 10, any lateral movement being provided for by the flat spring 8. As the vehicle continues to move, the rod 5 will be rotated, and will turn the wheel 6, which will cause the wires 13 and 1 1 to operate the wheel 21 on the semaphore, which being in engagement with the sliding rod 18, will cause the latterto rise or fall, thus raising or lowering one or the other of the indicator arms marked Stop orClear, by means of the toothed hub or collar 22.

After the vehicle has passed the semaphore, the warning signal stop will remain set until the upright 12 has been passed, for the reason that at the time of the setting of the signal stop, the dog 28 has engaged the tooth 6" of the wheel 6 and will hold it until the vehicle has engaged the roller 36. which will rotate the rod 37 and the cam collar 32 keyed thereon, which acting on the arm 30 of the dog 28, releases the wheel 6 and sets the signal marked Clear.

WhileI have shown my device as applied to vehicles moving on a single track, it is obvious that it will operate equally as well in connection with double tracks, and that instead of providing only two L-shaped arms such 9, I may employ as many such arms as may be desired.

It will also be noted that I do not confine myself to the exact details of construction as shown and described, as I may deviate from them, within the scope of my disclosure and claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A signaling apparatus for moving vehicles comprising a permanently located semaphore, provided with an indicator arm, means for raising and lowering said arm, and mechanical means on said moving vehicle for actuating the last mentioned means, an electric lighting device adapted to be operated by the movement of the-actuating bar of the indicating arm, said lighting device comprising a plurality of light bulbs, a pivotally mounted circuit breaker having two contact points normally out of engagement, means for supplying current to one of said bulbs, the two contact points being brought into engagement upon the breaking of the current in one" of said bulbs.

2. A signaling apparatus for moving vehicles comprising suitable supports, an L- shaped arm pivotally mountedin each of said supports, a wheel mounted on each arm adjacent the supports, one of said wheels being loosely mounted, flexible connections between the wheels, a semaphore permanently located between the supports, a toothed wheel rotatably mounted on said semaphore, adapted to be engaged by the connecting wires, an indicator adapted to be operated by said toothed wheel, and mechanical means on said moving vehicle for causing the rotation of said wheels and the operation of the indicator.

3. A signaling apparatus for moving vehicles comprising a plurality of vertically disposed supports, and a semaphore, L- shaped arms pivotally mounted in said supports, wheels mounted on said arms, flexible connections between said wheels, adapted to operate an indicator on the semaphore and a part secured to the superstructure of the moving vehicle, having an inclined surface for engaging the downwardly projecting member of the L-shaped arms to actuate the indicator operating means, said downwardly projecting member consisting of two parts connected by a spring, the lower part being provided with a wheel or roller.

4. A signaling apparatus for moving vehicles, comprising a permanently located semaphore provided with an indicator, means for operating said indicator, mechanical means on the moving vehicle for actuating the last named means, and a locking means for maintaining the indicator in a given position, said locking means comprising a disk loosely mounted on a suitable support, a pivoted dog adjacent said disk, provided with a disk engaging arm and with a free arm, a cam faced collar rigidly mounted on the disk supporting shaft, the inner surface of said collar being provided with inwardly projecting pins adapted to interlock with similar pins projecting outwardly from the disk, said pins being so spaced relatively to each other, as to permit the cam face of the collar to raise the free end of the 10 dog, and liberate the disk engaging arm, before said pins contact, to rotate the loosely mounted disk.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES W. KENNEDY. 

